[108.04] Combination of Asteroid Photometry from LONEOS and 2MASS

Two major astronomical surveys are presently underway, both
covering the northern hemisphere and both collecting
photometric data on large numbers of asteroids. The 2 Micron
All-Sky Survey (2MASS) is systematically scanning the entire
sky in three infrared bands: J (1.25 \mum), H (1.65
\mum), and Ks (2.17 \mum). Observations in the northern
hemisphere are being made from Mt. Hopkins, in southern
Arizona. The Lowell Observatory Near-Earth Object Search
(LONEOS) is designed to find Earth-Crossing asteroids and
comets. Using a telescope located near Flagstaff, Arizona,
the LONEOS team scans the entire sky visible from this
location three times per month. Visual magnitudes are
estimated for all detected near-Earth objects. The relative
proximity of the observing sites, and the all-sky coverage
of both surveys, results in a large number of asteroids
being observed in common. By combining the photometric data
on all commonly-observered asteroids, we hope to obtain new
information about the colors and surface compositions of
large numbers of these objects, leading to an improved
understanding of the origins and history of the asteroids -
particularly those in Earth- crossing orbits.

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